


Buying for Donna

by Endellion



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Christmas, F/F, Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-28 21:42:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17190845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Endellion/pseuds/Endellion
Summary: Jody tries to find the right present for Donna.





	Buying for Donna

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter is part of a co-created work. Check out the entire fic here:  
> [Bunker Secret Santa 2018](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17124194)

Jody had been at work when she received Jack’s phone call about doing a Secret Santa at the bunker this year. It had sounded like a great way to bring everyone a bit of cheer this Christmas, considering that there would likely still be hunts. After all, monsters didn’t take the holidays off. “Not even the human ones.” She muttered to herself as she finished her paperwork. She filed it in her cabinet and then submitted the online copies. One of her deputies had retired that week so she was going to have to get a replacement. At the moment she was too swamped to go through the process of hiring someone new. She pushed the nagging thought to the back of her mind.

Jack had told her that he had randomly picked names for everyone and her assignment was Donna. Jody was pretty pleased about this as it wasn’t someone she didn’t know at all. However, it was important to her that she get the right gift. Claire and Alex tended to make it easy on her by straight out telling her what they wanted. As soon as her shift ended, she texted the girls to let them know she would be late. Alex sent back a ‘thumbs up’ emoji. Claire dittoed it. It brought a small smile to her lips, thinking about how they had come along. She was so proud of them.

She stopped in the bathroom, washing her hands and running one over her cap of hair. She was going more grey by the day. She blamed the girls more than monsters. Monsters? No problem. Teenagers? Send backup. She chuckled and headed out to her vehicle. She figured the mall was the best place to start looking for a gift.

Once at the mall, she parked and decided to walk through at random and see if anything jumped out at her.

She passed by jewellers like Tiffany’s and accessory stores like Claire’s. Jewellery seemed rather serious and expensive as well as lacking any practicality. Claire’s would likely have cute things that Donna would love, but she wanted something different than mass produced hairbands and character necklaces. They did have scarves and bags though… The thought almost had her going back but she shook her head to keep looking.

All the shoe shops like Payless were bypassed as well. Donna was more than capable of buying her own shoes and Jody didn’t even know what size she wore. She wandered through an art gallery but dismissed it as an actual present idea. Thomas Kinkade didn’t exactly scream ‘Donna’ at her. Donna was more interactive. Gag gifts were out, it wasn’t her style. As she walked into a Bath and Body store, she thought about how she had first met Donna.

At first Jody had been less than pleased at getting paired with Donna at the sheriff convention. The cheerful blonde had seemed like an airhead, cute but dim, and not at all a competent officer of the law. She wasn’t going to deny that she had judged a book by its cover. That impression had changed over the years. Donna was a hell of a vampire hunter, for one thing. She had taken to it with a determination and learned skill that was admirable and definitely a bit surprising. It was more than that though, it was how loyal Donna was. It was how she could look on the bright side despite everything that had happened.

Jody would be the first to admit that she could be a bit pessimistic. When her son had died, she had fallen into a grief that was hard to climb out of and regaining him only to lose him again and her husband made her wonder what the point was to all the fighting. She had become a sheriff to protect people but if there were horrible monsters out there that people didn’t even know about, how could you fight that? But she didn’t really know any other way than to keep fighting; it was what she had always done.

Looking over soaps and bubble baths, lotions and salts, Jody shook her head. Those weren’t right for Donna at all. The next shop had candles and wall décor. Suncatchers in the shape of birds, wrought iron wall hangings, wind-chimes, and delicate candle holders adorned shelves and wall space. It didn’t say what she wanted it to say.

Checking her watch, she decided to call time and go home. She could keep looking tomorrow, in between paperwork and any call-outs she had to attend.

Before she went to sleep she considered the whole replacement deputy thing. She huffed out a breath and rolled over in bed. She didn’t want a newbie to train from the beginning, they had several of those. They needed experienced cops. Experienced cops might notice when things were done a little… ‘differently’ due to her hunts though and it would be a hassle to hide it from fresh eyes that hadn’t become immune to the idiosyncrasies. It would be nice if she could just advertise for a hunter of the supernatural to join her team. Then she’d have someone who understood and could back her up on cases like those.

The next day, she spent her lunch break on the internet, searching websites like Amazon and Etsy and Ebay for ideas. The problem wasn’t that she didn’t see things Donna would like. Donna was likely to be amazed by even a simple gift and would no doubt laugh at any joke gifts. Jody remembered needing Donna’s help and Donna throwing open a car trunk that was chock full of weapons. Donna was family. Donna had a place with them and Jody wasn’t even sure that Donna knew it. A warm scarf or a romance novel wasn’t going to cut it.

Jody did paperwork and pushed the thought of Donna’s present to the background to percolate. It was when she was getting home that she realised what she could do. But first she had to speak to Claire and Alex to ensure they were okay with it. She debated back and forth, not wanting to ruin the Secret Santa but it was their house too. In the end she decided to subtly mention it during dinner.

At home she prepared dinner, chicken breast with mashed potatoes and green beans. Alex and Claire came down, thanking her as they got plates. “Did you two have a good day?” she asked. She listened to the resulting comments. As they neared the end of the meal, she casually brought up Christmas in the bunker and Donna.  
“It would be a shame if Donna had to rush straight home after. I’ve always thought she would be welcome here for however long she wanted to stay.” She picked up the plates to put in the sink for Alex’s turn doing the dishes.

“Yeah, of course.” Alex shrugged it off. Claire eyed Jody more intently and Jody could almost see the wheels turning in her head. In the end she echoed Alex.  
“I like Donna. She’s too cheerful in the morning though.” Claire added. Jody chuckled.  
“Agreed.” Confident that the girls were comfortable with the idea- and wouldn’t actually be too surprised by her gift to Donna, she went to do some reading. She would take care of the gift on Saturday.

That Saturday she went back to the mall. She looked through the pyjamas for a pair that was warm and fluffy. Pockets were a must. As soon as she found the right ones, she bought them. The pants were pink and black checked with a pocket. The long-sleeved top was grey with a big pink and black checked heart, in the center. She knew they were the right ones as soon as she felt how plush and soft they were. They also weren’t Christmas or winter themed, something that Jody wanted to avoid. After purchasing them she went to Ace Hardware.

Jody thought of herself as an independent woman. A strong sheriff and (some days) a good mother. It had been hard to view herself as a good mother at all after her son’s death (and then re-death). Slowly, that confidence had built back up with the girls. But if there was one thing she had learned from Sam and Dean it was that hunting was better done with help. It was all well and good to play the lone ranger on a case but if you got in trouble and had no backup you were done for.

Donna had been a partner that Jody could rely on. Although the blonde was far too cheerful in the morning (and most other times) but underneath the blinding smile and quirky comments was a foundation of stone. One that even a take charge woman like Jody could rest upon to recover.

Luckily they were able to cut the key on the spot, it being an average shape. She went home and turned on her home computer. Bringing up a new Word document, she put in the date and addressed the letter, typing out several lines in a formal manner. “Dear Ms Hanscum”, it began, “I am pleased to offer you the position of Deputy Sheriff to Sioux Falls Sheriff Department...” Pleased with how it sounded, Jody printed it out and carefully folded it before placing it in an envelope.  
Jody went down and pulled last year’s Christmas wrapping paper out of the closet. In her room, she carefully folded the pyjamas and placed the key in the pocket. Then she put the sealed envelope with the job offer on top and carefully pulled the wrapping paper up and over. She taped it and got a blank Christmas card to type Donna’s name and the words ‘Merry Christmas’ on it, then taped a corner to the top of the gift. It was ready.

Having her holiday booked, she and the girls made their way to the bunker and Jody greeted everyone with a big smile. The present was in a bag and Jack showed her where the tree was to put it underneath when no one was looking. He and the others gathered near the kitchen and she slipped the present out under the tree, then went to join them. She couldn’t wait for Donna to see the gift and to know if her hiring conundrum could be solved. If not, at least Donna would know she always had a home with them.


End file.
